Woman said to be Loxa meth operation ringleader pleads guilty

URBANA — A woman authorities have described as the ringleader of a Loxa-based methamphetamine operation pleaded guilty to federal charges Thursday.

Tena D. Logan entered the plea to charges of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Logan and her husband, Paul D. “Bear” Logan, and four others were accused of obtaining methamphetamine ingredients manufacturing the drug at the Logans’ Loxa residence from at least 2010 until December of last year.

Tena Logan’s sentencing was scheduled for June 27. Federal guidelines mean the possible sentence she can receive won’t be determined until later.

The cases against Paul Logan and the other suspects — Fred A. Leonard, Robert Jeffrey Leonard, Tammy E. Britt and Floyd W. Curtner Jr., all of Mattoon — are all pending and the next court appearance for each of them is scheduled for April 17.

Court documents indicate that police observed several people bring methamphetamine ingredients to the Logans’ residence, identified as 6790 Stockton Road.

The documents describe a plan that called for purchases of medicine with pseudoephedrine that were spread out to try to avoid suspicion of methamphetamine activity.

Pseudoephedrine is a main ingredient in methamphetamine production and laws that limit and track its sales are designed to prevent the drug’s manufacture and to identify suspects.

The Mattoon-based East Central Illinois Task Force drug investigation unit announced the suspects’ arrest on Dec. 12 and said they followed an investigation the ECITF conducted along with the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.

On Friday, ECITF Commander Tom Houser said the investigation is still taking place and the possible arrests of any additional suspects are yet to be determined.

The court documents say one of the sources that worked with police admitted buying pseudoephedrine several times from 2007 to 2010 that was supplied to Tena Logan, who is identified throughout the document as the person who manufactured the methamphetamine.

In a detention order that U.S. Magistrate David Bernthal entered, he said evidence indicated that the Logans operated a “substantial methamphetamine lab” at their residence and Tena Logan appeared to be the “ringleader.”